Media release-No democracy in West Papua -rally banned

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088

Media release, 13 September 2013

No democracy in West Papua -rally banned

The 15 of September is International Day of Democracy. The UN General Assembly, in a resolution in 2007 encouraged Governments to strengthen national programs devoted to the promotion and consolidation of democracy, and also decided that 15 September of each year should be observed as the International Day of Democracy.

However, a rally organised by the KNPB for the 16th to commemorate the International Day of Democracy in West Papua has been banned by the Manokwari district police and the local military commander.

Joe Collins of AWPA said, "we keep hearing how Indonesia is now a democracy yet a peaceful rally to celebrate democracy is banned in West Papua.  It is a basic right enshrined in article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that  "Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association". 

Crackdown on recent rallies

There is always concern for people involved in rallies in West Papua as the security forces regularly crackdown on peaceful protestors.

Although the cultural parades to protest the signing of the New York Agreement on the 15 August 1962 went of relatively peacefully, in Fak Fak dozens of people including women and children were arrested on the 14^th August as they arrive to attend the cultural parade.

On the 1st May three people were killed and up to 20 arrested at a peaceful rally called to protest the handover 50 years ago of West Papua by UNTEA to Indonesian administration.

On the 13 May the security forces arrested four protesters including Victor Yeimo, Chairman of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB). The rally had been called to protest the attack by the security forces on peaceful demonstrators on the 1 May.

In August four activists were arrested  after they attended a gathering in Sorong in solidarity with the ‘Freedom Flotilla’. Although they were released they have been charged with “rebellion” (makar) under Articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum life sentence. Amnesty International in a statement called for the charges against them to be dropped.

Joe Collins said, hopefully the security forces will allow the West Papuan people their democratic right to the freedom of peaceful assembly and association and not crackdown on peaceful rallies as they have in the past.

Ends